11 results for: utility

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
u·til·i·ty    Audio Help   [yoo-til-i-tee] Pronunciation Key noun, plural -ties, adjective
–noun
1.the state or quality of being useful; usefulness: This chemical has no utility as an agricultural fertilizer.
2.something useful; a useful thing.
3.a public service, as a telephone or electric-light system, a streetcar or railroad line, or the like. Compare public utility (def. 1).
4.Often, utilities. a useful or advantageous factor or feature: the relative utilities of a religious or a secular education.
5.Economics. the capacity of a commodity or a service to satisfy some human want.
6.the principle and end of utilitarian ethics; well-being or happiness; that which is conducive to the happiness and well-being of the greatest number.
7.Computers. utility program.
8.utilities, stocks or bonds of public utilities.
9.a grade of beef immediately below commercial.
–adjective
10.(of domestic animals) raised or kept as a potentially profitable product rather than for show or as pets: utility breeds; utility livestock.
11.having or made for a number of useful or practical purposes rather than a single, specialized one: a utility knife.
12.designed chiefly for use or service rather than beauty, high quality, or the like: a utility vehicle; utility furniture.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME utilite < OF utelite < L ūtilitās, equiv. to ūtil(is) useful (see utile) + -itās -ity]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
utility

To learn more about utility visit Britannica.com

© 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
u·til·i·ty    Audio Help   (yōō-tĭl'ĭ-tē)  Pronunciation Key 
n.   pl. u·til·i·ties
  1. The quality or condition of being useful; usefulness: "I have always doubted the utility of these conferences on disarmament" (Winston S. Churchill).
  2. A useful article or device.
    1. A public utility.
    2. A commodity or service, such as electricity, water, or public transportation, that is provided by a public utility.
  3. Computer Science A utility program.

adj.  
  1. Used, serving, or working in several capacities as needed, especially:
    1. Prepared to play any of the smaller theatrical roles on short notice: a utility cast member.
    2. Capable of playing as a substitute in any of several positions: a utility infielder.
  2. Designed for various often heavy-duty practical uses: a utility knife; a utility vehicle.
  3. Raised or kept for the production of a farm product rather than for show or as pets: utility livestock.
  4. Of the lowest U.S. Government grade: utility beef.


[Middle English utilite, from Old French, from Latin ūtilitās, from ūtilis, useful, from ūtī, to use.]

(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
utility 
1391, "fact of being useful," from O.Fr. utilite "usefulness" (1291), earlier utilitet (12c.), from L. utilitatem (nom. utilitas) "usefulness, serviceableness, profit," from utilis "usable," from uti (see use). As a shortened form of public utility it is recorded from 1930.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
utility

adjective
1. used of beef; usable but inferior 
2. capable of substituting in any of several positions on a team; "a utility infielder" 

noun
1. a company that performs a public service; subject to government regulation 
2. the quality of being of practical use [ant: inutility
3. the service (electric power or water or transportation) provided by a public utility; "the cost of utilities never decreases"; "all the utilities were lost after the hurricane" 
4. (economics) a measure that is to be maximized in any situation involving choice 
5. (computer science) a program designed for general support of the processes of a computer; "a computer system provides utility programs to perform the tasks needed by most users" [syn: utility program
6. a facility composed of one or more pieces of equipment connected to or part of a structure and designed to provide a service such as heat or electricity or water or sewage disposal; "the price of the house included all utilities" 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This
utility1 [juˈtiləti] nounplural uˈtilities
usefulness
Example: Some kitchen gadgets have only a limited utility.
Arabic: مَنْفَعَه، فائِدَه
Chinese (Simplified): 效用
Chinese (Traditional): 效用
Czech: užitečnost
Danish: anvendelighed
Dutch: nut
Estonian: kasulikkus, kasutatavus
Finnish: käyttökelpoisuus
French: utilité
German: die Nützlichkeit
Greek: χρησιμότητα
Hungarian: hasznosság
Icelandic: gagnsemi, nytsemi
Italian: utilità
Japanese: 有用性
Latvian: derīgums; pielietojums
Lithuanian: naudingumas
Norwegian: nytte, anvendelighet
Polish: użyteczność
Portuguese (Portugal): utilidade
Russian: полезность; пригодность
Slovak: úžitok
Slovenian: uporabnost
Spanish: utilidad
Swedish: nytta, användbarhet
Turkish: yarar, fayda
utility2 [juˈtiləti] noun
a useful public service, eg the supply of water, gas, electricity etc
Arabic: مَصْلَحَة خِدْمَة عامَّه
Chinese (Simplified): 公用事业
Chinese (Traditional): 公用事業
Czech: (veřejné) služby
Danish: ydelse
Dutch: voorziening
Estonian: üldkasutatav teenus
Finnish: julkinen palvelu
French: service public
German: öffentlicher Versorgungsbetrieb
Greek: υπηρεσία κοινής ωφέλειας
Hungarian: közmű
Icelandic: almenningsþjónustufyrirtæki
Italian: (servizio pubblico)
Japanese: 公益事業
Latvian: (komunāls) pakalpojums
Lithuanian: komunalinė paslauga
Norwegian: offentlige tjenester (vann, kloakk, gass, elektrisitet)
Polish: zakład użyteczności publicznej
Portuguese (Portugal): serviço público
Russian: коммунальные услуги
Slovak: (verejné) služby
Slovenian: javna služba
Spanish: empresa de servicio público
Swedish: samhällsservice, allmän nyttighet
Turkish: kamu hizmeti
See also: utilitarian

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version), © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
Investopedia - Cite This Source - Share This

Utility

1. An economic term referring to the total satisfaction received from consuming a good or service.

2. A company that generates, transmits and/or distributes electricity, water and/or gas from facilities that it owns and/or operates.

Investopedia Commentary

1. A consumer's utility is hard to measure. However, we can determine it indirectly with consumer behavior theories, which assume that consumers will strive to maximize their utility. Utility is a concept that was introduced by Daniel Bernoulli. He believed that for the usual person, utility increased with wealth but at a decreasing rate.

2. Since consumer demand for utilities does not change dramatically with a change in price, these companies are regulated by the state or provincial and federal governments.

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See also: Behavioral Economics, Dismal Science, Dow Jones Utility Average - DJUA, Economics, Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility, Marginal Utility, Total Utility

Investopedia.com. Copyright © 1999-2005 - All rights reserved. Owned and Operated by Investopedia Inc.
Wallstreet Words - Cite This Source - Share This

utility

A business that provides an essential service, generally under government regulation. Electric companies, gas transmission firms, and local telephone companies are utilities.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This

Main Entry: util·i·ty
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ties
1 : fitness for some purpose or worth to some end
2 a : PUBLIC UTILITY b : a service or commodity provided by a public utility <paid for rent and utilities>; also : equipment or material used in providing such a service or commodity <an easement limited to purposes of travel which does not include the right to install utilitiesWare v. Public Serv. Company, 412 Atlantic Reporter, Second Series 84 (1980)>
3 plural : stocks or bonds of utility companies <utilities performed poorly>

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Utility

Use\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Used; p. pr. & vb. n. Using.] [OE. usen, F. user to use, use up, wear out, LL. usare to use, from L. uti, p. p. usus, to use, OL. oeti, oesus; of uncertain origin. Cf. Utility.]

1. To make use of; to convert to one's service; to avail one's self of; to employ; to put a purpose; as, to use a plow; to use a chair; to use time; to use flour for food; to use water for irrigation.

Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs. --Shak.

Some other means I have which may be used. --Milton.

2. To behave toward; to act with regard to; to treat; as, to use a beast cruelly. "I will use him well." --Shak.

How wouldst thou use me now? --Milton.

Cato has used me ill. --Addison.

3. To practice customarily; to make a practice of; as, to use diligence in business.

Use hospitality one to another. --1 Pet. iv. 9.

4. To accustom; to habituate; to render familiar by practice; to inure; -- employed chiefly in the passive participle; as, men used to cold and hunger; soldiers used to hardships and danger.

I am so used in the fire to blow. --Chaucer.

Thou with thy compeers, Used to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels. --Milton.

To use one's self, to behave. [Obs.] "Pray, forgive me, if I have used myself unmannerly." --Shak.

To use up. (a) To consume or exhaust by using; to leave nothing of; as, to use up the supplies. (b) To exhaust; to tire out; to leave no capacity of force or use in; to overthrow; as, he was used up by fatigue. [Colloq.]

Syn: Employ.

Usage: Use, Employ. We use a thing, or make use of it, when we derive from it some enjoyment or service. We employ it when we turn that service into a particular channel. We use words to express our general meaning; we employ certain technical terms in reference to a given subject. To make use of, implies passivity in the thing; as, to make use of a pen; and hence there is often a material difference between the two words when applied to persons. To speak of "making use of another" generally implies a degrading idea, as if we had used him as a tool; while employ has no such sense. A confidential friend is employed to negotiate; an inferior agent is made use of on an intrigue.

I would, my son, that thou wouldst use the power Which thy discretion gives thee, to control And manage all. --Cowper.

To study nature will thy time employ: Knowledge and innocence are perfect joy. --Dryden.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

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